Boston Celtics: 3 James Harden trades that involve the Cs
No matter whether or not the Boston Celtics acquire him or help facilitate someone else acquiring him, the Houdini wants James Harden out of Houston ASAP.
The majority of the NBA-watching world cannot handle another moment of James Harden playing for the Houston Rockets. I know I can’t. Whether or not he ends up with the Boston Celtics, or one of the handfuls of other contenders in the running, Harden needs to leave H-Town now.
It’s truly a shame what has become of the 2020-21 Rockets early on in the campaign. When the team landed Christian Wood in free agency and then reunited the University of Kentucky duo of John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, there were some that thought the team could still contend in the Western Conference.
Hell, they have knocked off solid Orlando and Sacramento teams to start off the season hovering around .500. Two beatdowns by the Los Angeles Lakers later, and Harden is all but forcing his way out of Houston:
"Disgruntled superstar James Harden said the Houston Rockets are “just not good enough” after the team’s second consecutive blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, adding that he doesn’t believe the team can improve enough to be a contender. “I love this city. I literally have done everything that I can,” Harden said after the Rockets’ 117-100 loss. “I mean, this situation is crazy. It’s something that I don’t think can be fixed.” It’s the closest Harden has come to going public with the trade demand that sources said he made during the offseason."
I just want to see Harden gone now for the sake of all Rockets fans everywhere. This man just up and quit on all of you.
Without further ado…
Why the Boston Celtics do it
For the price of one first-round draft pick that will likely fall in the late first round of the 2021 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics can plug in an elite 3-point shooter (Joe Harris) and a stout defender who can defend every position (Taurean Prince) into their $28.5 million trade exception.
Sounds like a good deal to the Houdini.
Why the Houston Rockets do it
Getting Caris LeVert as the centerpiece in a deal is a great haul for Houston right now. Harden’s trade demands have all but torpedoed his value, and his four-game streak of scoring 20 points or less is the first time that has happened since Oklahoma City.
He’s no longer an MVP candidate, or anything close, so Romeo Langford and two draft picks is a home-run package.
Why the Brooklyn Nets do it
The Nets would be giving up three players that Steve Nash has not started most of the year and a draft pick to acquire the only player to average more than 30 points per game (he did it 3x) in the last five years.
Not a difficult decision there.